Drill pipe protector and tool therefor



Sept. 1, 1942. E. 5. LONG DRILL PIPE PROTECTOR AND TOOL THEREFOR FiledJuly 5, 1940 INVENTOR [71/157 5. za/va W ATTO N Y Patented Sept. 1, 1942DRILL PIPE PROTECTOR AND' TOOL THEREFOR Emmet S. Long, Los Angeles,Calif.

Application July 5, 1940, Serial No. 344,005 6 Claims. (01. 29- 8s.2)

My invention relates to a drill pipe'protector and a tool for use insetting the protector in a desired location upon a length of drill pipeand has particular reference to a pre-expanded resilient protectoradapted to be readily installed by means of hand tools.

It is common practice in the oil producing industry to employ drill pipeprotectors which are placed at frequent intervals along the length ofthe drill string for the purpose of preventing the drill string fromcoming into contact with the walls of the'bores as the string is rotatedduring drilling operations. These protectors usually comprise an annularband of rubber or similar composition having a normal internal diameterless than the external diameter of the pipe, the protectors beingstretched or expanded and slipped onto pipe where they are held by thefriction developed through their contraction upon the pipe.

Prior to my invention these protectors were shipped to the drillinglocation in an unstressed condition requiring that they be stretchedsufilciently to pass the tool joints in order to permit them to beslipped onto the pipe. tectors usually have an axial length of fromthree to four inches or more and a thickness of an inch or more, withthe result that enormous expansive forces must be exerted in order tostretch such a protector sufiicently to permit it to pass mandrel whichis secured to the downwardly ex- 1 tending end of a tool joint'half. Thering is placed on a. suitable support and the small end of the mandrelis inserted within the ring. The pipe and mandrel are then forceddownwardly through the ring, causing the ring to expand and pass overthe tool joint at which time it contracts and firmly grips the pipe. Ifa second protector is to be placed on the same string of pipe, it isnecessary that a ring clamp or similar device be placed about the pipebetween the ring first installed and the tool joint, and the pipeadditionally lowered to move the ring to the desired location on thepipe and then the installation of the second ring may be accomplished bythe use of the mandrel.

Such an operation is expensive and time consuming and attempts have beenmade to overcome this disadvantage by supplying the rings in apie-expanded condition upon a sleeve or short These prosection of pipehaving an internal diameter sufiicient to pass over a tool joint. Withthis type of ring the sleeve and the protector ring are slipped alongthe pipe to the desired position and then a special jack is employed forsliding the ring off of the sleeve and onto the drill pipe. This methodof installing drill pipe protectors has not been entirely satisfactoryfor the reason that the jack mechanism which must be employed isrelatively complicated and expensive and requires highly skilled men forits operation.

It is therefore an object of my invention to provide a method ofinstalling drill pipe protectors which consists in holding the protectorring in a pre-expanded condition by means of a sleeve, placing the ringabout the drill pipe, and then removing the sleeve from between the ringand the pipe.

It is also an object of my invention to provide a drill pipe protectorring and sleeve for holding the ring in a pre-expanded condition inwhich the sleeve is composed of two semi-cylindrical portions permittingthese portions to-be removed from within the protector ring and thentaken from the drill pipe without requiring the sleeve to be slippedbeyond the end of such drill pipe.

It is an additional object of my invention to provide 'a protector andsleeve construction of the character set forth in the precedingparagraph wherein the sleeve halves are so arranged that the forcerequired to slip the protector ring from the sleeve may be obtained fromthe highly stretched condition of the protector ring itself.

It is a still further object of my invention to provide a protector ringand sleeve construction of the character set forth hereinbefore in whichthe sleeve halves may each be pivotally moved relative to each otherabout an axis extending transversely of the axis of the drill pipe tochange the sleeve shape from cylindrical to conical, whereby the forcesderived from the highly stretched condition of the ring operate to slipthe ring to ward the small diameter end of the conical sleeve.

It is an additional object of my invention to provide a tool for usewith a protector ring and sleeve construction of the character set forthin the preceding para-graphs.

It is also an object of my invention to provide a tool of the charactermentioned in the preceding paragraph which includes a means for engagingthe sleeve halves of a protector ring and sleeve construction of thecharacter set forth hereinbefore and which also includes a handle means,whereby the sleeve halves may be pivotally moved from. a positiondefining a cylindrical surface to a position defining a conical surface.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from astudy of the following specifications, read in connection with theaccompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevational view with parts shown in sectionillustrating the manner in which one form of tool of my invention may beemployed for installing a protector ring constructed in accordance withmy invention upon a section of drill pipe which is illustrated in Fig. las being held by slips inserted in a rotary table of the type commonlyemployed on oil well drilling equipment;

Fig. 2 is a perspective View illustrating the construction andappearance of the protector ring of my invention and the split sleeveupon which the ring is supplied in a pre-expanded condition;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of a pair of identical tools whichmay be employed for the purpose of slipping the protector ring from thesleeve and onto the drill pipe;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view with parts shown in section illustrating themanner in which the engagement between the tools and the sleeve portionsis obtained;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 illustrating the positions occupiedby the parts at the beginning of an installing operation;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Figs. 4 and 5 but illustrating the relativepositions of the parts at the time the resilient protector ring isslipped from the sleeve members upon which it is carried; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary horizontal section illustrating the details ofconstruction of a locking mechanism which may be employed to lock thetools of my invention to the sleeve members forming a part of theprotector ring assembly.

Referring to the drawing, I have illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. la rotary table as comprising a fiat table-like member I within which isinserted slips 2 for the purpose of gripping and supporting a section ofdrill pipe 3. I have indicated at 4 a drill pipe protector 5 which isillustrated as resting upon the slips 2 preparatory to installationthereof at that point. I have also illustrated in Fig. 1 an annularclamp B which is secured to the drill pipe 3 at a point spaced above therotary table I and have indicated another of the drill pipe protectors 5as resting upon the clamp 6 preparatory to installation at that pointalong the length of the length of drill pipe 3.

, Fig. 1 also illustrates the appearance of setting tools 1 which may beemployed for effecting the installation of the protector ring.

Referring to Fig. 2, I have illustrated the preferred embodiment of theprotector ring 5 of my invention as comprising a hollow rubber cylinderhaving a length of from four to seven inches, a wall thickness of aninch or more and a normal internal diameter somewhat less than theoutside diameter of the drill pipe 3. The protector ring 5 isillustrated in Fig. 2 as being preexpanded and held in such expandedcondition by means of a sleeve 8 which is formed of coacting sleevehalves 9 and Ill. These sleeve halves are each preferablysemi-cylindrical in form and include upper and lower marginal portions II and I2 extending above and below the protector ring 5. Each of thesleeve halves abut each other along axially extending surfaces 13, whichabutting surfaces extend downwardly from the upper marginal portions Hto a point somewhat below the center of the protector ring 5. At thispoint each surface is inclined outwardly as indicated at Hi, thejunction between the surfaces l3 and I4 defining a fulcrum or heel [5.The inside diameter of the sleeve 8 is preferably made sufficientlylarge to permit it to pass over a tool joint so as to permit theprotector rings 5 to be slipped over the end of a length of drill pipeand be moved axially therealong to any desired position.

I have illustrated in Fig. 3 the appearance and construction of thepreferred embodiment of the tool of my invention which preferablyincludes a semi-cylindrical portion l6 having inside and outsidediameters substantially conforming to the outside diameter of the drillstring 3 and the inside diameter of the sleeve 8, respectively. Theupper end of the semi-cylindrical portion l6 may carry a handle bracketI! which defines a radially outwardly extending surface [8 having awidth substantially equal to the thickness of each of the sleeve halves9 and I0. The handle bracket I! may also carry a curved tailpiece 19which extends downwardly from the location of the radial surface [8 andto which may be aflixed a handle member 20.

When the drill pipe protector and its sleeve 8 is slipped on the drillpipe 3 to its desired location, it may be held in such position eitherby the rotary table I or by the aforementioned split clamping ring 6. Ineither event after the desired position of the protector ring 5 isestablished, the tools 1 are placed in position somewhat in the mannerillustrated in Fig. 4. It will be noted that the semi-cylindricalportion l6 of the tool is inserted between a sleeve 8 and the drill pipe3 and that the radially extending surface l8 serves as a stop byengaging the upper edge of the sleeve member 8. Similarly, thedownwardly extending tailpiece l9 extends downwardly along the outsideof the upper marginal portions H of the sleeve 8, whereby the sleevehalves are each secured to the handles of the tools I to permit outwardand downward movement of these handles to tend to pivot each of thesleeve halves about an axis extending substantially horizontally.

It will be noted that such outward and downward force applied to thehandle 20 will cause the sleeve halves 9 and ID to be pivotally movedrelative to each other about the fulcrum or heel portion l5 so as tobring the inclined surfaces [4 into abutting relationship with eachother and to separate the axially extending surfaces l3. When thiscondition obtains the parts are disposed in a position such as thatillustrated in Fig. 5 and attention is called to the fact that downwardmovement of the protector 5 relative to the drill pipe 3 is preventedduring this operation by engagement of the lower marginal portion [2 ofthe sleeve 8 with either the split clamping ring 6 or the upper surfaceof the slips 2 in the rotary table. Attention is also called to the factthat the lower marginal portions I2 of the sleeve halves 9 and H] arepreferably relieved as indicated at 2| so as to permit these portions tobe moved inwardly by the aforementioned pivotal action without beingbrought into engagement with the drill pipe.

The angularity of the inclined surface I4 relative to the axial surfacesI3 is preferably so adjusted that when the parts are moved to theposition illustrated in Fig. 5 the angle of the quasiconical surfacethus produced is sufficiently a aewe.

steep to bring the protector ring tothe vergeof slipping lengthwisealong such inclined or; taperedsurface. It will be appreciated that arelatively small additional force will then causethe protector ring; 5to move axially relative to the sleeve halves. 9 and I9, This slightadditional force may be obtained by exerting an additional downward andoutward pull onthe handle members 29. so as to cause the angularity ofthe sleeve halves 9-and III; to increase slightly as is indicated inFig. 6. When this is done the large compressive force which is exertedby the protector ring 5 serves to move the sleeve.

halves Sand; I upwardly and out from between the protector ring and thedrill: pipe with the result that the protector ring immediately shrinksupon the drill pipe 3 and is secured thereto.

In view of the fact that such protector rings may be installed at aconsiderable height above the derrick floor, it is highly desirable thatsome means be provided to prevent the falling of either of the sleevehalves 9 and II] to the derrick floor at the time the protector ring 5is installed.

I therefore provide in the upper marginal portion I2 of each of thesleeve halves 9 and II] a small aperture 22 which is adapted to beengaged by a pin 23 carried by each of the tools I so as to lock eachsleeve half to the tool with which it is associated. The pin 23 ispreferably mounted for slidable movement in bores extending radiallythrough the tailpiece l9 and the semi-cylindrical portion It so thatafter the tool is placed in the position illustrated in Fig. 4 relativeto one of the sleeve halves, the pin will be engaged with the sleevehalf and both of the members I6 and I9 of the tool.

Ready retraction of the pin may be obtained by employing a constructionsuch as thatillustr-ated in Fig. '7 wherein the outer end of the pin 23is pivotally secured as by means of a pin 24 to a lever 25 which is inturn mounted for pivotal movement as by a pivot 26 carried on thetailpiece I9. The lever 25 is preferably spring urged to a positionplacing the pin 23 in its innermost position as by interposing acompression spring 21 between the tailpiece l9 and the outermost end ofthe lever 25. It will be observed that with this construction the pin 23may be retracted by merely pressing the lever 25 toward the tailpiece I9and that release of such pressure will permit the spring 21. to move thepin 23 to its innermost position.

The holes 22 may also be employed for preventing accidental shifting ofthe protector ring 5 from the sleeve halves 9 and I0 during shipment bydisposing the holes 22 in diametrically opposite positions relative toeach other and by passing a bolt or other suitable locking memberthrough these holes.

In order for the above described operation of moving the sleeve halves 9and I9 pivotally relative to each other, it is necessary to maintain theabutting edges I3 in alignment with each other by preventing either ofthe sleeve halves from moving laterally relative to the other. Theholding of the sleeve halves against such undesired lateral movement maybe readily accomplished by making each of the semi-cylindrical portionsI6 of the tools I embrace somewhat more than a half circle. The requiredoverlap between the tools when they are both inserted between the sleevehalves 9 and I9 and the drill pipe 3 in the manner illustrated in Fig. 4may be accomplished by beveling longitudinally extending ends of one ofthegsemi-cylindrical portions l6 internally as. indicatedat 28 inFig.Band by providing a corresponding extemal bevel on the edges of thesemi-cylindrical portion of the other tool member I. With the toolsconstructed in this fashion they, will overlap each other in the mannerindi cated-in Fig. 4' when they are placed between the sleeve halves andthe drillpipe.

Reference to Fig. 4 will indicate that the semicylindricalportion. I6 ofone of the tools la is illustrated as carried beyond the abutting edgesurface I3 as indicated by the solid line 29, whereas, the correspondingedge 30 of the other tool Ib isindicated by means of the dotted line30'as being disposedon the inside of the portion l6 ofthe v tool (a and;extended beyond the abutting edge is adapted-to be supplied to thosedesiring to install protector rings ondrill pipe in a preexpandedcondition and that the sleeve which 'is employed to maintain the ring insuch pre-expandedcondition is so constructed as to permit the ring to bereadily removed from such sleeve.

It will also be observed-from the foregoing that I have provided a handtool which may be employedwith the protector ring construction of myinvention for permitting therings tobe installed at anydesired'locationalong a length of drill pipe and: that through use ofthe ring'and tool constructionof my invention protector rings may be.installed on drillpipe at any desired location without requiringspecially trained or skilled labor for such installation.

While Ihave'shownand described the preferred embodiment of my invention,I do not desire to be limited: to any of the details of constructionshown or described herein except as defined in the ae en e s a ms z aim;

1. In a sleeve construction for insertion into a hollow cylindricalrubber drill pipe protector having an inside diameter normally less thanthe outside diameter of said drill pipe to hold said proteptorin anexpanded condition, a pair of complementarysemi-cylindrical sleevehalves to be; disposed in abutting relation to each other (9 form acomplete cylindrical sleevehaving an inside diameterreater than theoutsidedia-meter of said drill pipe, the meeting edge faces of saidsleeve halves extending axially for a part of the length of said sleeveto constitute coacting abutment faces and extending angularly away fromeach other the remaining part of the length of said sleeve.

2. In a sleeve construction for insertion into a hollow cylindricalrubber drill pipe protector having an inside diameter normally less thanthe outside diameter of said drill pipe to hold said protector in anexpanded condition, a pair of complementary semi-cylindrical sleevehalves to be disposed in abutting relation to each other toform acomplete cylindrical sleeve having an inside diameter greater than theoutside diameter of said drill pipe, the meeting edge faces of saidsleeve halves extending axially for a part of the length of said sleeveto constitute coacting abutment faces and extending angularly away fromeach other the remaining part of the length of said sleeve, said edgefaces being smoothly curved outwardly at the junction of the angularlyextending parts to define coacting fulcrums about which said sleevehalves may be pivotally moved.

3. In a sleeve construction for insertion into a hollow cylindricalrubber drill pipe protector having an inside diameter normally less thanthe outside diameter of said drill pipe to hold said protector in anexpanded condition, a pair of complementary semi-cylindrical sleevehalves to be disposed in abutting relation to each other to form acomplete cylindrical sleeve having an inside diameter greater than theoutside diameter of said drill pipe, the meeting edge faces of saidsleeve halves extendin axially for a part of the length of said sleeveto constitute coacting abutment faces and extending angularly away fromeach other the remaining part of the length of said sleeve, said edgefaces being smoothly curved outwardly at the junction of the angularlyextending parts to define coacting fulcrums about which said sleevehalves may be pivotally moved relative to each other to bring saidangularly extending parts into abutting relation with each other andchange the shape of said sleeve from cylindrical to quasi-conical, saidangularly extending parts being disposed at such angle as to cause theangularity of the quasi-conical surface to be less than that required tocause said ring to slip axially along said sleeve.

4. In a sleeve construction for insertion into a hollow cylindricalrubber drill pipe protector having an inside diameter normally less thanthe outside diameter of said drill pipe to hold said protector in anexpanded condition, a pair of complementary semi-cylindrical sleevehalves to be disposed in abutting relation to each other to form acomplete cylindrical sleeve having an inside diameter greater than theoutside diameter of said drill pipe, the meeting edge faces of saidsleeve halves extending axially for a part of the length of said sleeveto constitute coacting abutment faces and extending angularly away fromeach other the remaining part of the length of said sleeve, said edgefaces being smoothly curved outwardly at the junction of the angularlyextending parts to define coacting fulcrums about which said sleevehalves may be pivotally moved, whereby a pair of tool means eachincluding a member insertable between one of said sleeve halves and saiddrill pipe and having a portion engageable with the end of said sleevehalf may be employed to move one end of each of said halves pivotallyoutward from said drill pipe about said fulcrum to slide said rubbercylinder from said sleeve.

5. In a sleeve construction for insertion into a hollow cylindricalrubber drill pipe protector having an inside diameter normally less thanthe outside diameter of said drill pipe to hold said protector in anexpanded condition, a pair of complementary semi-cylindrical sleevehalves to be disposed in abutting relation to each other to form acomplete cylindrical sleeve having an inside diameter greater than theoutside diameter of said drill pipe, the meeting edge faces of saidsleeve halves extending axially for a part of the length of said sleeveto constitute coacting abutment faces and extending angularly away fromeach other the remaining part of the length of said sleeve, said edgefaces being smoothly curved outwardly at the junction of the angularlyextending parts to define coacting fulcrums about which said sleevehalves may be pivotally moved, whereby a pair of tool means eachincluding a member insertable between one of said sleeve halves and saiddrill pipeand having a portion engageable with the end of said sleevehalf may be employed to move one end of each of said halves pivotallyoutward from said drill pipe about said fulcrum to slide said rubbercylinder sleeve, each of said sleeve halves including means forcooperating with a locking means on each of said tool means for lockingeach of said halvesto its associated tool means.

6. In a tool for removing from within a preexpanded drill pipe protectora holding sleeve consisting of a pair of sleeve halves ofsemi-cylindrical form disposed in abutting relation to each other alongaxially extending side edges and defining a sleeve having an insidediameter greater than the outside diameter of said drill pipe, a pair ofsemi-cylindrical members each insertable between one of said sleevehalves and. said drill pipe and each having a portion engageable withthe end of said sleeve half, whereby one end of each of said halves maybe moved pivotally outward from said drill pipe to slide said rubbercylinder from said sleeve, each of said semi-cylindrical members havinga circumferential scope suflicient to extend more than half way aroundthe interior of said sleeve and terminating in axially disposed edgeporoions, said edge portions of said members being oppositely beveled soas to lie in overlapping relation with each other when both of saidmembers are inserted between their respective sleeve halves and saiddrill pipe.

EMMET S. LONG.

